The subject matter disclosed herein relates to turbomachinery. More particularly, the subject matter relates to cooling passages in hot gas path components of turbines.
In a turbine, a combustor converts the chemical energy of a fuel or an air-fuel mixture into thermal energy. The thermal energy is conveyed by a fluid, often compressed air from a compressor, to a turbine where the thermal energy is converted to mechanical energy. As part of the conversion process, hot gas is flowed over and through portions of the turbine. High temperatures along the hot gas path can heat turbine components, causing degradation of components. Forming cooling channels in the components by casting may limit the proximity of the channels to the surface of the component to be cooled. Accordingly, the effectiveness of cooling channels is limited, thereby increasing thermal stress experienced by turbine components along the hot gas path.